Monthly Archives: November 2015

Bumbershoot announces 2016 dates

It must be because AEG is new at this, but Bumbershoot 2016 — the 46th edition of Seattle’s beloved Labor Day weekend music and art festival — will be over before Labor Day.

AEG Live, which propped up One Reel so the 2015 festival could happen, announced that the 2016 renewal will take place on September 2-4 — a Friday-Saturday-Sunday affair.

Bumbershoot Bumbershoot-logoused to include Fridays, back when it was a four-day marathon. It’s been a Saturday-Sunday-Monday thang for more than a decade, though.

Early bird tickets will go on sale at noon on  November 20 at bumbershoot.com. The release didn’t say if early purchasers would be rewarded with discount prices, as had been a Bumbershoot tradition, but I guess we’ll find out on Friday.

The release did say that the festival will again utilize more venues than in recent years, including Memorial Stadium and KeyArena. , a fan favorite in 2015, will return to EMP. All programming will be announced in spring 2016.

— MM

PGT announces 2016 season

Port Gamble Theater Company has announced their four-show 2016 season, beginning on April Fools Day with “Around the World in 80 Days.” That show will have a three-weekend run, April 1-17.

The remaining shows are:

“Robin Hood,” July 8-27

“Clue — The Musical,” Oct. 7-23

and “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,” Dec. 2-18

Information: 360-977-7135, portgambletheater.com

— MM

‘Nutcrackers:’ There’s always room for more

Here’s our current list of upcoming local productions of “The Nutcracker” and other holiday dance shows. If you don’t see yours, e-mail your info to michael.moore@kitsapsun.com and we’ll add it:

DANCE ENSEMBLE NORTHWEST ‘NUTCRACKER’

Dance Ensemble Northwest, North Kitsap auditorium, 2003 NE Hostmark Street, Poulsbo, 360-779-7090, inmotionperformingarts.org: recorded music; 7 p.m. Nov. 27, 2 and 7 p.m. Nov. 28, 3 p.m. Nov. 29; $15-$10 advance, $20-$15 door

DANCE ARTS THEATRE ‘NUTCRACKER’

Dance Arts Theatre, Bremerton Performing Arts Center, 1500 13th Street, Bremerton, 360-692-4395, danceartstheatre.org: Company and student production, with guests Karen Gabay and Ryan DeAlexandro; recorded music; 7 p.m. Nov. 28, 2 p.m. Nov. 25; $20-$10

PENINSULA DANCE THEATRE ‘NUTCRACKER’

Peninsula Dance Theatre, Bremerton Performing Arts Center, 1500 13th St., Bremerton, 360-377-6214, peninsuladancetheatre.org: Company production, with Peninsula Ballet Orchestra, Alan Futterman, conductor; 7:30 p.m. December 4 and 5, 3 p.m. December 6; $27-$14

ACADEMY OF DANCE ‘NUTCRACKER’

Academy of Dance, Win Granlund Perfoming Arts Center, South Kitsap High School, 425 Mitchell Avenue, Port Orchard, 360-769-7277, myacademyofdance.com: student performance, recorded music; 7 p.m. December 11 and 12; $20-$10

JUST FOR KICKS ‘NUTCRACKER’

Just for Kicks School of Dance, Admiral Theatre, 515 Pacific Ave., Bremerton, 360-373-6743, admiraltheatre.org: Student production; recorded music; 7 p.m. Dec. 12, 3 p.m. Dec. 13

GALLETTE SCHOOL OF DANCE ‘THE SNOW QUEEN’

Galletta School of Dance, North Kitsap Auditorium, 2003 NE Hostmark St., Poulsbo, 360-779-1122, gallettadance.com: Student production; recorded music; 7:30 p.m. 1 and 7:30 p.m. December 12; $20-$10

NORTHWEST SCHOOL OF DANCE ‘A WINTER’S TALE’

Northwest School of Dance, Bremerton Community Theatre, 599 Lebo Blvd., Bremerton, 360-373-5152, bremertoncommunitytheatre.org: Student production of an original holiday story; recorded music; 7 p.m. December 18, 2 and 7 p.m. December 19; $14-$12

OLYMPIC PERFORMANCE GROUP  NUTCRACKER’

Olympic Performance Group, North Kitsap Auditorium, 2003 NE Hostmark Street, Poulsbo, 206-842-1205, olympicperformancegroup.org: Company and student production; recorded music; 7 p.m. Dec. 19 and 20, 2 p.m. December 21

— MM

Sylvie Davidson is Book-It’s ‘Emma’ again

Sylvie Davidson, a North Kitsap native who’s been mixing successful careers in music and theater — and sometimes musical theater — will return to Book-It Repertory Theatre in December to reprise the title role in the theater’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Emma.”

Davidson originated the role in Book-It’s 2009 production, adapted from the novel by Rachel Atkins, who garnered a Gregory Award nomination for her work.

Davidson, who’s also appeared in Book-It’s adaptations of “The Highest Tide” and “Great ExpSylvieectations,” as well as prominent roles in “A Christmas Carol,” “Jekyll and Hyde” and “Tales of Wasps” at A Contemporary Theatre, other projects in Seattle-area venues and in productions of “Lonesome Traveler: A Journey Down the Rivers and Streams of American Folk” in New York and Los Angeles.

She’s also had success as a singer-songwriter, including membership in the Kitsap-born bluegrass band Waiting For Lizzie.

In “Emma,” which will run December 2-January 3 at the Center Theatre (downstairs in the Seattle Center Armory), Davidson will be joined by another returnee from the 2009 cast, Brian Thompson as Mr. Woodhouse.

Information: 206-216-0833, book-it.org.

— MM

 

Tower of Power added to Admiral lineup

Tower of Power, whose high-energy, ultra-funky sound propelled them out of the East Bay San Francisco music scene in 1968 and into international prominence, will play a January 26 concert at the Admiral Theatre, the Admiral announced yesterday.

The Tuesday night show will start at 7 p.m., with doors open at 6 p.m. The Admiral’s casual dining menu will be available. Ticket prices range from $75 on the main floor to $20 in the upper balcony.

ToP produced a string of hits, including “Down to the Nightclub (Bump City),” “What Is Hip?” and “You’re Still a Young Man,” has remained a potent live act for more than 40 years, continuing to turn out new music and touring heavily. They are a Northwest favorite, with frequent visits that include an annual residency at Seattle’s Jazz Alley. Despite numerous personnel changes over the years, ToP still can funkafize with the best of them.

The current lineup is powered by founding members Emilio Castillo (tenor sax) and Steve Kupka (baritone sax), along with original members Francis Rocco Prestia (bass) and David Garibaldi (drums). Roger Smith (keyboards), Tom E. Politzer (tenor sax), Adolpho Acosta (trumpet), Jerry Cortez (guitar), Sal Cracchiolo (trumpet) and Ray Greene (lead vocals) rounTOP-walking-medd out this latest incarnation.

Taken from the Admiral’s release:

“ToP performed on records with Neil Diamond, Smokey Robinson, Rod Stewart, Aerosmith, and Dionne Warwick, and influenced a generation of musicians (including Sting, who has told Emilio Castillo that he once had a “Tower of Power clone band” before he formed The Police). In the 1980s, they backed Huey Lewis and the News on world tours. They continued to play their own music in between Lewis’s gigs.

“Tower of Power is experiencing a renaissance, touring most of every year and packing venues in the United States, the Pacific Rim, and all over Europe with its audience of new and old fans. On June 6, 2004, The California Music Association inducted Tower of Power with a Lifetime Achievement Award and cited their 2003 Sony Legacy anthology Havin’ Fun as soul/R&B album of the year, beating out releases by En Vogue and Raphael Saadiq. When asked to describe the band’s music, former Tower saxophonist Lenny Pickett, now musical director for the “Saturday Night Live” band says, ‘ToP is the world’s best rhythm and blues band.’ In reality, ToP’s horn-driven, in-your-face sound is all its own.”

I’ve seen ToP a number of times over the years, in venues from Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center to the old 99 Club in SeaTac, and they’ve never failed to entertain with top-notch musicianship and a room full of fun(k).

Information: 360-373-6743, admiraltheatre.org

— MM